Treasure Hunt (boyxboy) [Rewrite]

Treasure Hunt | Sixteen

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I showered.

But I didn't feel clean.

This wasn't fair.

None of this had been fair.

I sat in the shower floor, letting the hot water rain down over me. It wasn't hot enough, but then again, it couldn't get any hotter.

My skin was bright red when I got out, steam rolling off of my skin. I dressed in pajamas, seeing Loran was already fast asleep on his side.

I checked on the kids. Zach was first, his room pitch black, but I could still see the outline of him sleeping exactly like Loran, one hand on his chest and the other hand tucked under his head, he wheezing as he snored.

And then, Treasure.

When we moved in, we had turned the attic into another bedroom, it was supposed to be for Zach, but he had changed his mind at the last second, and rather easily, gave it up to T. She slept soundly, the glittery lava lamp that she used as a nightlight illuminated her room, illuminating her face. She had her favorite stuffed animal, a teddy bear, tucked under her chin.

How could I have not realized it sooner? Or maybe I had, and just didn't want to admit it to myself.

To Loran.

To her.

To him. How could I have not known deep down, all along though? She didn't look like me at all, which meant she looked just like him.

Deep down...was that a bad thing, though? He'd been beautiful to look at then, and I could only imagine that he still was.

I felt the guilt building in my stomach, bubbling it's way up to my throat. I prepared for vomit, but it would come out in the form of sobs.

"Good morning, daddy!" T shouted excited as I entered the kitchen in the next morning.

"Morning." I hugged her tightly, kissing her on top of her head.

She was sitting at the table, coloring while Loran stood at the stove, frying something.

"Morning." I didn't have to see his face to know that he was smirking.

"Mornin." I wrapped my arms around him, resting my head against his back.

"Bacon and eggs?" He asked.

"Just coffee." I shook my head, letting go of him to head to the keurig. Just the smell of food cooking was enough to make me even more nauseous than I already was.

"Treasure, will you see if your brother is up, yet?" Loran looked over his shoulder at her. She nodded in agreement, sprinting towards the stairs. "Okay, spill it. What's going on?"

"What are you talking about?" I tried not to face him as I poured my coffee creamer.

But Loran had always been able to see through me. "It's because of last night, isn't it?"

"I don't want to talk about it right now," I didn't want to look at him, but I forced myself to.

His shoulders sagged, "Zach's awake, dad!" He was cut off before he could even begin to speak as we turned our heads to see T, thrown over our son's shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"If you send her to wake me up ever again," he sat her down in the closest chair next to him, causing her to laugh uncontrollably, "I won't hesitate to dangle her - feet first - out of my window."

"To be fair," Loran laughed, sympathetically, "I only asked to her to see if you were awake."

"My threat still stands." Zach eyed him.

"I'm sure it does." Loran laughed. "Anyways, breakfast is about to be done." Our son grumbled under his breath in response as he headed back out of the kitchen. But looking back and forth between T and I, Loran let out a sigh. "I guess we'll talk later."

"I guess so." I shrugged, digging my ringing phone out of my pocket. I hit answer without even looking at it.

"What's wrong, daddy?" T furrowed her brows at me, causing Loran to look at me with even more worry, mouthing who is it? at me.

"So, what do you say?" My sister asked, after revealing the nature of her call.

Her voice almost sounded foreign to me, I hadn't talked to her in years, I almost forgot what it actually sounded like. I looked between my daughter and my boyfriend, before hesitating. "Yeah, we'll be there."

I took T to school while Zach decided to wait at the bus stop. When I got back, I hadn't expected Loran's SUV to still be in the driveway.

He was in the closet (heh), a towel wrapped loosely around his slim hips. "My only appointment for the day is at 2:30." He said before I even asked, sitting on the bed. "Figured I'd clean up a little, make myself look look a little more presentable since I had the extra time."

"Don't tell me you shaved your beard." I let out a scowl as he craned his neck, showing a nearly clean shaven face. "Really? Was that necessary? You look like Logan without it."

"I don't know how to tell you this," he was laughing. "But Logan and I look the same regardless of a beard or not."

"You know what I mean." I rolled my eyes.

"I do, I just love teasing you." He smirked before settling on a dark blue button down. "Anyways, talk to me about last night."

"There's nothing to talk about." I said.

"Dal," his shoulders dropped, "I could see how upset you were afterwards."

"It has nothing to do with last night. It has nothing to do with you last night."

"Then what is it?"

I couldn't tell him. Not now, at least.

"Please." I sighed. "Just drop it for now."

"Okay, then," he hesitated, and I could tell that was definitely not the answer he wanted. "What was Abbie calling about, then?" I had told him it was her on the phone, just not why.

"Family get together, she wants me there."

"And you actually said yes? I'm shocked."

"So am I."

"When is it?"

"Next Sunday." I shrugged. "You won't make me go alone, will you?"

"Of course not," he had just finished fumbling with his pants. "Is this about to be a full family affair, or just the two of us?"

"It would be the first time..." my voice cut off. It'd been nine years - and my family still didn't know Treasure existed. "Maybe I should call her back and tell her nevermind."

"Dalton, you aren't going to be able to hide her from them forever."

"What's another fifty years?"

Now it was his turn to drop his shoulders, deadpanning me. "She's already asked about your side of the family, Dalton. We might as well just rip the bandaid off."

He was right, and it annoyed me to no end. "Not necessarily."

"I think otherwise." He crossed his hands over his chest, smirking. "I don't want to argue about it, especially when I don't have time to make amends the way I want."

"Don't be dirty." I crinckled my nose.

He was so smug, kissing me hard. "I gotta get out of here - don't miss me too much."

"I'll try not to." I mock saluted him.